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Now it was his turn to snort. He pointed to her. “Pot.” Then pointed to himself. “Kettle. Nice to meet you,” he said dryly.
Tenley laughed out loud at that. “You know what, Knox? I think we’re going to get along just fine.”
And somehow that was the most terrifying thing he’d heard in the past five years.
CHAPTER 4
Escaping town with someone who didn’t have anything but the clothes on his back, a few bucks in cash, and a borrowed car was annoying.
Tenley knew they would’ve made much better time if Knox had a go-bag of essentials like she did. But she also knew it wasn’t practical for a recently released convict to have such a thing. So, she cut him some slack when he told her to stop at a Discount Hut just outside of town.
She didn’t go in with him, though. She swore at sixteen she’d never set foot in another discount store ever again. From that point on, it was first class all the way for her. Her days as a poor orphan straight out of Annie were long gone.
Twenty minutes of scrolling on her phone later, Knox emerged with a few bags, looking vaguely disappointed that she was still there, waiting on him. That was a little insulting. But again, he’d had a rough day, so she’d cut him even more slack.
She was magnanimous that way.
“What’d ya get?” she asked, leaning into the backseat to peek into the bags he’d dumped there. Looked like some black T-shirts, jeans, gray sweats, black underwear (boxer briefs that he’d look ah-may-zing in), shampoo, toothpaste and toothbrush…
He smacked her hand like she was a kid trying to steal a cookie before dinner. “Nothing in there is any of your business.”
She pouted. “Aw, come on, Hard Knox. I thought we were beyond formality.”
His frown was way sexier than it should have been. “We’re not. And don’t call me that.”
“Don’t be a poop. We’re stuck together, but there’s no reason we can’t have some fun.”
If possible, the frown got even sexier and more frown-y. “We’re not stuck together. You won’t leave.”
Then he gestured grumpily for her to move out of the driver’s seat, which she did with no complaint. But did he thank her? No, of course not. “Why would I want to leave you, Knoxy? Can I call you Knoxy?”
“Not if you want me to answer.”
Tenley rolled her eyes. “Fine. You want to be a grumpy bastard about this? Be a grumpy bastard. You’ll change your tune after a nice hot shower and a good night’s sleep. I’m betting you didn’t get many of those in prison, did you?”
He side-eyed her as he drove out of the parking lot. “No. I didn’t.”
She felt an unwanted stab of sympathy. There’d been a time when showers and good sleep were hard to come by for her, too. It’d been years and years ago, but she still remembered that feeling. “Well, I don’t know where we’re going because you rudely haven’t told me, but what do you say we stop for the night and get some rest? My treat.”
She’d like to think it was her charming smile that won him over, but in all honesty, it was probably the fact that she was paying and he looked like he hadn’t slept in years. But regardless, twenty minutes later, he handed the car keys off to the valet at the Windsor Luxury Resort in the town of Franklin.
Knox looked around nervously. “Are you sure about this? This place looks…expensive.”
Oh, it was.
The Windsor’s lobby was a sprawling, cavernous space. It looked like it could easily qualify for its own zip code.
The gleaming marble floors were probably imported from Europe and spit-shined daily by Italian nuns or something equally outrageous. The front desk and concierge station were fully staffed with shiny, happy employees that looked like they’d cheerfully murder someone if it mildly amused their wealthy patrons, and the hotel’s name was prominently featured on the wall behind an elegant water feature that was, she imagined, fed by the tears of the poor. High ceilings, designer rugs, artistically placed leather couches, gold embellishments and fresh flowers as far as the eye could see…The Windsor was an embarrassment of riches.
Seriously. It was embarrassing how much money had been sunk into making this place ostentatious. They probably could’ve solved world hunger if they’d opted for ceramic floors instead of the fancy marble.
But, regardless of how she felt about their use of resources, this was also the perfect place to find a new mark.
“I’m sure,” she told him. “Go sit over there in the waiting area. I’ve got work to do.”
He let out an exhausted sigh. “Whatever. But if you get caught, I’m pretending I’ve never seen you before in my life and I’m walking right out that door.”
“Your faith in me is flattering,” she said dryly. “Give me ten minutes and just a tiny little smidge of your trust, OK?”
